A MYSTERY phone call from a man claiming to know the whereabouts of the
missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann could provide a new lead in the case, it
emerged yesterday.
The caller provided such detail that Kate and Gerry McCann put their European
search for their daughter on hold in case they needed to act.
The couple were informed of the potential development while in Germany, where
they were appealing for information about their child.
It is 36 days since Madeleine was abducted from her bed in the Algarve resort
of Praia da Luz.
According to a Spanish police source, the "credible" call was taken
from a man who wanted to speak directly to the McCanns.
The call was then traced to an unregistered pay-as-you-go phone from an
unidentified country.
However, it is not thought the country is Morocco, where a previous possible
sighting of Madeleine was reported.
The caller did not reveal his identity or nationality, but the information was
considered important enough to alert Mr and Mrs McCann, the police source said.
At around 3pm on Wednesday, the McCanns - who were about to go to Tempelhof airport in Berlin
to fly on to the Netherlands
- were advised that the caller might try to contact them, so they stayed on at
the British embassy.
The situation was so critical that it was felt they could not afford to be out
of touch, even for an hour during the short flight.
At 6pm, journalists travelling in the eight-seater
private jet with the McCanns were told by the flight crew that there might be a
change in destination.
They revealed they had been asked to draw up a new flight plan involving a
possible change from Amsterdam to East Midlands
Airport.
It was thought the McCanns might need to return to the UK to talk to
advisers about the call.
However, all efforts to re- establish contact with the man failed and the
couple decided to go on to Amsterdam.
The McCanns left Berlin at 7.30pm, three hours
later than planned, for the hour-long flight to Schiphol Airport
in Amsterdam to
continue their search.
Mr and Mrs McCann are thought to be on standby, ready to return to the UK if
necessary.
A Spanish police source said: "A man called saying he knew where Madeleine
was and wanted to speak to the McCanns.
"This did not appear to be a crank call and the information was felt
credible enough to warrant the couple being informed immediately."
A British police source said: "The McCanns were delayed in Berlin after information
came into the inquiry which required their urgent attention.
"There was a possibility of a new line of communication being opened up
and a flight back to the UK
was discussed."
The source added: "The importance of this line of inquiry is still being
assessed and attempts to re-establish contact are continuing."
The possible new lead came as the McCanns came to the end of the European
section of their search for their daughter.
They have been to Italy, Spain, Germany
and the Netherlands
in a bid to raise awareness about her abduction. They plan to go to Morocco at the
weekend. |
